CHILDREN'S RIGHTS need to be enshrined in the Constitution, particularly after the revelations in the Ryan Report on institutional child abuse, Sinn Féin North West EU candidate Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has said. Mac Lochlainn said such a step would mark a break by the state with a shameful past characterised by the neglect and abuse of the most vulnerable children. Free article

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has his head in the sand in relation to the economy and the elections, Gerry Adams said during an election walkabout on Grafton Street in Dublin on Tuesday with Mary Lou McDonald MEP. "The economy has been in freefall for a year now," the Sinn Féin leader said. Free article

GERRY ADAMS has slammed attacks on Sinn Féin by Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern during the election campaign, accusing him of insulting republican voters. Over the weekend, Fine Gael's director of elections Frank Flannery said his party would be prepared to work with Sinn Féin in a future coalition government. Dermot Ahern - who was later joined by Progressive Democrats former leader Mary Harney in trying to rescue Fianna Fáil MEP Eoin Ryan's floundering campaign from a strong challenge by Mary Lou McDonald - described the idea as "stomach-churning". Free article

SINN FÉIN launched its local election manifesto for Dublin, Turning Anger into Positive Action, outside the Garden of Remembrance on Monday. The launch was attended by Gerry Adams and deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald MEP with local election candidates Cllr Daithí Doolan, Cllr Larry O'Toole, Helen McCormack, Denise Mitchell, Ruadhán Mac Aodháin and Shaun Tracey, who is also running in the Dublin South by-election. Free article

SINN FÉIN Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness joined the party's EU election candidate Pádraig Mac Lochlainn for the final few days of campaigning in the North West constituency in advance of Friday's poll. McGuinness was joined by fellow Executive Minister Gerry Kelly on the campaign trail. Speaking from the constituency on Wednesday McGuinness said: "Throughout the past three weeks I have been across different parts of the North West constituency. I have to say the response that Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and the teams of local candidates are getting on the doorsteps has been very positive. There is no doubt Pádraig is in the hunt for an EU seat. Free article

EU CANDIDATE Toiréasa Ferris has called on the Government to reverse its policy of investing in zombie banks rather than job creation. Speaking during canvasssing in Limerick in the South constituency, Toiréasa Ferris said: "The theft - for that is what it amounts to - of €4 billion euro from people's pay packets, from their pensions and from their hard-earned taxes to support bond holders and investors in Anglo Irish Bank is outrageous enough; to choose to invest in this failed entity rather than in job creation will be punished severely in the elections." Free article

SINN FÉIN MEP Bairbre de Brún has said the British Government and the Executive must act following the call from the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for them to implement an Irish Language Act. The Six-County MEP said that the United Nations committee has expressed concern at the fact that there is still no protection for the Irish language and Irish speakers in the North of Ireland despite official legislation in both Scotland and Wales protecting their indigenous languages. Free article

THE biggest threat to Irish neutrality today is the Fianna Fáil/Green Government's unquestioning approach to the drive towards an EU superstate, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald said at press conference for EU candidates by the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) last Friday. "In less than six months," the Sinn Féin deputy leader said, "the Irish Government will attempt to force through the Lisbon Treaty and they will be supported in this by Fine Gael and Labour. The Irish people need MEPs that will stand up for Ireland's interests in Europe, not more yes men who are happy to represent Brussels in Ireland. Free article

SINN FÉIN MLA for West Belfast, Fra McCann, has slammed the Electoral Office for moving a number of voters from their polling station to a unionist area, claiming it is gross incompetence and affects people's right to vote. Speaking on Wednesday McCann said: "Residents on the Springfield Road are extremely angry at the Electoral office moving their polling station from the Millennium Outreach Centre to the Ballygomartin Presbyterian Hall two days before an election. Free article

INDEPENDENT MEP Marian Harkin should come clean over her European voting record, according to Sinn Féin North and West EU candidate, Councillor Pádraig Mac Lochlainn. "Marian Harkin portrays herself as a strong, independent voice in Europe, an advocate of healthcare investment and a defender of cancer services in Sligo and Castlebar Hospitals," Mac Lochlainn commented. Free article